OLympia, it was 1998 when Kwan did lamento d'Arianne and east of eden at Landover and the competition that year was called

1998 Equal World Open
December 11-12, 1998

Isn't it the Isu's complaint that brought this series, as it was formatted then, to an end? THe result was it was restructued to some kind of team format. Too bad.

Thanks, Icey. That was some competition.

If the ISU ended Landover, they showed once again that they have rocks in their heads. That show probably brought a lot of fans to skating. It was usually shown on TV on a weekend afternoon at a good time, not hidden away at noon, and there was heaps of anticipation about what the best skaters would do each season. There was just enough judging to satisfy people who like a competition, but even if you didn't care who won, you got to see exciting skating.

One person we've forgotten to mention for glorious programs is Robin Cousins. His Olympic short and long programs in 1980 were pretty marvelous. Oh, and Yagudin.

I wish I was there for the ladies event in nagano, all three deserved gold. I can't think of three more incredible, distinctive talented ladies who deserved the podium in any order than tara, Mk, and the exquisite Chen Lu.

Would love to have seen the Euros 1998 men's competition, if only for the "oh, lordy" factor when those three baby-faced Russians swept the podium...

Modern-times, I'd love to have been at the men's event at 2011 US Nationals to see Jason raise the roof...and retrospectively take a slingshot with me and take shots at Tom Z while Josh was skating. :(

Olympia, our tastes are very similar. Cousins was amazing in Lake Placid! His short program was chock full of charm.

I am especially fond of his diagonal step sequence in his short program. So musical and light...

A fall out of a triple loop in the LP cost him a perfect program, but it didn't cost him the gold. IIRC, he trounced everyone in that competition.

Keeping in mind that Cousins was skating the Olympics after Curry dominated. It was astonishing to me that skating had so much scope. Curry was classical in style: he made ballet on ice. But Cranston's skating was completely different, more jazz-like. Both of these skaters continued to grow, and to stretch the possibility of skating, after they turned pro. I actually got to see each of them live as pros. I was sitting way back in the nosebleed section each time, but it was still an unparalleled experience.

Sorry Tonto, I have to break the rule you set because my list is not long and I haven't seen too many figure skating performances...

1)

Originally Posted by Olympia

I would love to have watched Kurt film Singin' in the Rain for his TV program.

This would have been delightful and I wish I'd been there with you!

2) Kurt Browning @ 1997 Battle of the Sexes. I need front-row seats for this, OK? I adore this performance and I love the song. They go together better than peanut butter and jelly...except I don't like PB&J so...better than butter and strawberry jam.

7) YuNa Kim 2011 Worlds FS. Yes, I choose this over her Vancouver Olympics. I would have been there to be utterly heartbroken for the result, and then have to watch her be so, so sad. But her Arirang program is my favourite program of hers and it wasn't skated often enough, so I have to choose this event to watch it. I also think whatever she was going through for the 2011 season helped her to reflect and focus again for her comeback this year, so it's not a permanent heartbreak. Please, David Wilson, top this program for next season!

Sorry Tonto, I have to break the rule you set because my list is not long and I haven't seen too many figure skating performances...

No worries! You still picked some fine ones.

If you have time one day, perhaps you can revisit the thread and watch a few links to the golden oldies. I've found that having a historical perspective makes me more appreciative of our current skaters.

I have to admit... it can make me more critical sometimes, too. For example, I find it hard to get worked up over most of today's pairs when I think the performances were so much better 20 years ago. I don't think the technical aspects and innovation have improved that much over time, and the artistry has degraded, IMO. It's a poor trade-off.

On the other hand, I look at John Curry and Toller Cranston, and I marvel that their influence is still felt in the sport nearly 40 years later. Today, we hope to see their brand of artistry married with the technical "wow factor" and some skaters can deliver.

G and G's 1988 Oly long; Buttle's 2008 World freeskate, 1999 long program of Maria Butyrskaya, 1984 long program at world's of Underhill and Martin, the 1988 olympics battle of the Carmens and Liz manley stealing the show as well as the battle of the brians, 1994 Oksana Baiul's miracle win, 1992 freedanc eat olympics and worlds ofKlimova and Pomarenko, anything Michelle Kwan basically, v and m freedance at Vancouver olympics, the years Irina slutksaya and Emanual sandhu won Grand Prix final - the one where Slutskaya just threw in everyint as well as her 2005 world freeskate.

I'm sitting here laughing, imagining a bunch of skating fans getting their hands on a time machine. There would be a constant stream of us going in and out, meeting in arenas all over time. I'll save us all seats for Janet Lynn's long programs at Nationals! Which year? Inclusive: 1969 to 1973. Bring cameras!